Ex-lawmaker questioned in sisters shooting death

FAIRFIELD  A former state lawmaker is among those who have been questioned in the shooting death of her sister in Virginia, police said.

Associated Press

Published 12:00 am, Saturday, December 13, 2003

Nancy Niedermeier Dunning, 56, the older sister of former state Rep. Christine Niedermeier, was found shot to death by a family member in her home in the Del Ray section of Alexandria, Va., just after 12:30 p.m. Dec. 5. She was buried Thursday.

Dunning, a former Fairfield resident, was the wife of Alexandria Sheriff James H. Dunning.

Authorities said they have not determined a motive for the shooting. Alexandria police said they have questioned members of Dunnings family, including Niedermeier, who acknowledged Friday that she had differences with her sister over the care of their elderly mother.

"Shes a family member, and police are talking to all family members," said Lt. John Crawford, a police spokesman. "We have not labeled anybody a suspect. Were not pointing fingers at anybody."

Niedermeier issued a statement Friday though her attorney saying she was in Connecticut at the time of her sisters death.

"I am stunned and saddened by the tragic death of my sister, Nancy," Niedermeier said. "I learned of her death when my brother called me last Friday at my home in Connecticut, where I had been the entire week preceding Nancys death. My phone records and people I spoke to show that I was in Connecticut hundreds of miles away from Virginia at the time of her death."

Niedermeier confirmed she had spoken to the police.

"I have cooperated with the police and answered their questions and pray that they will find the person who murdered my sister," she said. "While my sister and I had our differences over the care of my dear late mother, I loved my sister, and our whole family is shocked and grieving over this tragedy."

Michael Madigan, a lawyer and friend of Niedermeier who said he spoke to police Friday, said she would not comment beyond the statement.

"She had absolutely nothing to do with it," Madigan said. "The fact of the matter is she was in Connecticut the entire week of Dec. 1."

Investigators are talking to the victims business associates, neighbors and others as well, Crawford said.

"We dont anticipate any major breaks Friday or over this weekend," he said.

A neighborhood group has established a reward, he said.

Niedermeier, 51, recently returned to Fairfield where she was active in politics as recently as the early 1990s.

She unsuccessfully challenged Republican Reps. Stewart B. McKinney and Christopher Shays in the mid-1980s. She lost the 1993 first selectmans race in Fairfield to Republican Paul Audley.

Niedermeier served on the Board of Selectmen, and served as chief of staff to U.S. Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., in 1998. She was fired 13 months later.

Niedermeier alleged that Baucus fired her because she rejected his sexual advances. She sued the senator in 2000 in U.S. District Court, but later withdrew the lawsuit.